Jeff Yakovich wrote:
>Like it or not, the federal government as well as most major payers do not
>differentiate between ABC or BOC credentials. It’s sad but it’s a fact.
>Because of the size and division in our field, we have not been able to come
>forward with a unified voice and look at what has happened.
>
Jeff, I too am furious with this decision by the ABC board. It was my
impression that the ABC’s responsibility was to credential orthotic and
prosthetic practitioners to ensure a standard of patient care and to
market those credentials. It appears that you have decided that you’ve
failed at your task, therefore you’re going to allow the weakening of
those credentials to occur in the interest of giving us a larger voice.
I was shocked when I moved to a new location and discovered that the
local orthopedic surgeons do not know the difference between BOC and ABC
certification. They do know of the many other aspects of our field,
AFOs, KAFOs, TLSOs, etc. Where do they get this education and why
hasn’t it included discussion of the certification process? Would this
not be one of the responsibilities of our ABC organization? I pass out
the excellant but now irrelevant pamphlet that ABC provides for
physicians with the hope that they will one day read them. Why hasn’t
ABC done a better job of communicating certification to physicians, the
federal government, state government, and insurance providers? How do
I now explain to these physicians that this certification that I’ve been
touting as being so important now no longer means what I’ve been telling
them it does? How is this going to help me build my practice?
>
>I am sick of the all posts indicating that all the education current ABC
>certifies attained is for nothing. As Orthotist and Prosthetists, you are
>charged with providing the highest quality O & P care you possibly can. Do
>you not feel that the education you received along with completion of your
>formal residency and passing the most rigorous exams have best prepared you?
>I’ve been certified since 1980. I have a bachelors degree and took a formal
>residency before one was required. Why did I do this, because I felt it
>prepared me to be the best Orthotist I could be. I feel they patients I
>treat deserve no less.
>
Jeff, you are confusing education with certification. I am glad I got
my education. If I’m not mistaken, I could have gotten my education and
never applied for certification. But I did apply for certification. In
fact, I wanted that certification because it proved that I was able to
meet basic standards in our field. What you are doing with this
decision is offering that proof to a group of individuals who have not
met those standards. Of course it lowers the standards and is an insult
to all of us who actually did make the sacrifices necessary. How could
the board not see this as anything else?
I have absolutely no problem with BOC certification. But BOC represents
one set of standards and ABC represents another.
>
>In 22 or the 24 years I’ve been certified, I’ve been in management
>positions. When I fill an open position for a certified orthotist or
>prosthetist, I don’t just look at their title. I look into their
>educational background and training as well as previous experience. Do you
>not think your training and education would separate you from others seeking
>the same position.
>
Of course you look at more than the title. But your referring to
certification as a title is disturbing. There is a big difference
between you as an employer looking at an employees credentials and a
physician or referral source deciding to send a patient to a
practitioner because he knows the practitioner has met certain standards.
>Our patients are requesting more information on
>individuals treating them with regards to education and training. Jason,
>what you have achieved separates you among others. If you and others want
>more public recognition for your past education, add more letters after your
>name and include your college degree.
>
This statement is absurd. To get more public recognition, just add more
letters after your name plus your college degree. Previous to your
latest decision, the most important letters behind my name were CO.
What is my bachelor’s degree going to tell a referral source about my
qualifications. And what other letters? LO? We’ll certainly be
working on that.
It seems that ABC has just made itself irrelevant. You want a stronger
voice for legislative action but it’s going to backfire due to the
weakening of the meaning of our credentials and the bolting of
practitioners – especially in states with licensure. Surely you
anticipated that.
Your message was certainly not convincing to me that the ABC made the
right decision. Where are the other board members. Let’s here from them.
Harold Anderson, CO, BIND (How does that help?)
